Percussive firing mechanism of breech-loading guns.



A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM. PERCUSSIVE FIRING MECHANISM 0F BBEECHLOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 18, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A.. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUCKHAM. PBBcUssIvB PIRING MBGHANISM ,or BBEEGHLOADING GUNS.

A APPLICATION FILED 00T. 18, 1913. 1,105,625.

Patented Aug. =1., 1914. y

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE ORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. iVASHINGTON. D C.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914 A. T. DAWSON & G. T. BUGKHAM. PEBGUSSIVB FIBINGMBGHANISM'OF BREEGH LOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 0053.18, 1913. I

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THE NOKKIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHU., WASHINGTON. D. C.

' A. T. DAWsoN @L G. T. BUGKHAM. PBBCUSSIVB PIBING MECHANISM 0F BBEEGHLOADING GUNS.

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A. T. DAWSON az G. T. BUGKHAM. PBBGUSSIVB FIRING MEGHANISM' OF BRBBCHLOADING GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 18, 1913,

Patented Aug. 4,1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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UNTED STATES OFFICE.

ARTHU'B. TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER,

LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS 'IO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMIN STER, ENG-LAND.

PERCUSSIVE FIB/ING MECEANISM OF BREIGH-LOADIN G GUNS.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREvon Dawson,knight, and GEORGE T I-ioMAs BUCK- Imir, both subjects of the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, festininsteig in thecounty of London, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to the Percussive Firing Mechanism ofBi'eeCh-Loading Guns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to percussive firing mechanism for breech loadingguns, of the kind in which the striker is released by a trigger orfiring handle mounted on the gun carriage.

rI'he chief object of the present invention is to provide improved meanswhereby the triggei' or firing handle can be mounted on a part of thecarriage which is not co-axial with the gun trunnions, and the operativerelationship between the said trigger or handle and the striker can bemaintained notwithstanding the movements of the gun in elevation ordepression.

According to this invention the gun cradle is provided with a pivoteddevice suitably connected with the iring shaft and having a curvedsurface with which the trigger or firing handle, or a part movedthereby, is capable of engaging at any elevation of the gun to transmitmovement to the firing shaft and thereby re the gun.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of aportion of a gun mounting provided with a constructional form of theimproved firing mechanism, the gun being in its horizontal position.Fig. 2 is a plan of a port-ion of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a view similarto Fig. l showing the gun elevated to an angle of about 70 degrees. Fig.4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form of themechanism. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation, a partialsectional plan, and a rear elevation showing a constructional forni ofthe invention in which the trigger is carried on the handle of theelevating hand wheel or lever. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively a sideelevation and Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led October 18, 1913.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

Serial No. 795,854.

a sectional plan showing a further application of the improved firingmechanism.

A. is the gun, B the gun cradle, B one of the trunnions and C the guncarriage.

D represents the aforesaid device which is pivoted at d to the cradle. Dis the trigger or firing handle and D2 the firing shaft.

E is the elevating handwheel or lever which is omitted from Figs. 5 and8.

In the examples shown, the aforesaid device D is in the form of a curvedplate the pivot d of which is arranged parallel to the trunnions and infront thereof when the gun is horizontal. The firing handle D is inFigs. 1 to 4 pivoted at d on the carriage C, preferably (as shown) at-apoint behind the trunnions. A. roller d carried by an arm of the saidhandle bears against either the front or, as illustrated, the rearsurfaces of the said curved plate D. The curvature of the plate when thelatter is in its normal position is concentric with the trunnions.iieeted either directly as in Figs. 1 to 3 or through a two armed leveras in Fig. 4 to a. connecting rod D2 (constituting the aforesaid firingshaft) carried on a guard plate attached to the cradle, the rear end ofthis rod being pivoted to a link cl2 which lies in loose contact with anarm Dc on the gun; this arm is suitably connected with the seai of thestriker. The rod D2 has a spring D2x which serves to hold the plate D incontact with the roller clx. The said curved plate is shown in Figs. lto 4 as being for convenience of construction in the form of a ring ordisk, and the tiring handle is disposed in a convenient positioncontiguous to the elevating hand wheel E.

The aforesaid pivoted device having a curved surface, instead of heiligin the form of acurved plate, ring or disk as aforesaid, may7 bemodified in shape in order to adapt it to the requirements of theparticular form of mounting with which it is to be employed.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 to 7 the firing trigger D iscarried on the handle of the elevating handwheel or lever E which ismounted on the gun carriage. The said trigger operates through the knownarrangement of a sliding pin d3, a lever cl3* and another` sliding pin(Z4 upon an arm di* on a The curved plate mayv be eonvertical shaft (Z5mounted on the carriage. This shaft has another arm c 5X that carriesthe aforesaid roller (Z. The rod D2 connected to the curved plate Doperates upon the arm DX on the gun in a similar manner t0 thatdescribed with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the rod D2 is connected atits rear end to an arm D3 which carries a bevel pinion DSX gearingivitha similar pinion forming part of or connected to'a sleeve D. This sleeveis mounted on the cradle and carries a plunger' D5 which is adapted toengage with a sleeve D5X carried by the gun, in a similar manner to thatdescribed in the prior British specicatiouNo. 16216 of 1911. In theexample shown in Figs. S and 9 the rod -D2 is displaced, from thetrigger D on the elevating handwheel or lever in asimilar manner toVthat described with reference to Figs.

., 'lelie curved plate D in the constructions Figs.E 5 to 9 differsslightly from that of Figs.; 1 to -l in that it is not a colnplete ring.t That lWe claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. Iny percussive firing mechanism for ordnance, thecombination With aA noirelevating part of the mounting and the guncradle, of a ,firing device mounted on said non-elevating part, a curvedmember moved by said device and pivotally mounted on the cradle inco-axial relation with the gun trunnions, a striker releasing member onthe gun, and a connecting rod pivoted to said curved member and servingto transmit the pivotal movements of said curved member to the strikerreleasing member on the. gun.

2. In percussive firing mechanism for ordnance, the combination with anon-elevating part of the mounting and the gun cradle, of a firingdevice mounted on said non-elevating part, a curved member moved by saiddevice, a pivot for said member carried by the cradle and arrangedparallel to the gun trunnions, a striker releasinginem` ber on the gunand a connecting rod pivoted to said curved member and serving totransmit thel pivotal movements of said curved member to the strikerreleasing member on the gun.

3. In percussive tiring mechanism for ordnance, the combination with anon-elevating part of the mounting and the gun cradle, of a firingdevice mounted on said non-elevating part, a curved plate moved by saiddevice, a pivot for said plate carried by the cradle and arrangedparallel to the guntrunnions, a striker Areleasing member on the gun anda connecting rod pivoted to said curved plate and serving to transmittheJ pivotal movements of said curved plate to the striker releasingmember on the gun.

et. In percussive iii-ing mechanism vfor ordnance, thecombination with anon-ele-A vating part of the mounting and the gun cradle, of a tiringdevice mounted on said non-elevating part, a curved plate moved by saiddevice,a pivot for said plate vcarried bythe ,cradle and arranged.parallel to the gun trunnions, a striker releasing arm on the gun, aiever in contact With said arm and a. connecting rod pivoted to saidlever and tothe curved plate. l E

In percussive tiringy mechanism for ordnance, the combination With anon-elevating part of the mounting and the gun cradle, of a firingdevice mounted on said non-elevating part, a curved plate moved by saiddevice, a pivotfor said plate carried by the cradle and arrangedparallel to the gun trunnions, a striker releasing arm on the gun, alever in contact with said arm, a connectingT rod pivoted to said leverand to the curved` plate, and a guard plate carried by the cradle andcovering said means, the lever and the arm, said lever being pivoted tosaid guard plate. y. v, ,I

AIn testimony whereof we aix our signatures in presence of tivoWitnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAVSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM.

litnesses HENRY KING, JNO. R. CASWELL.

Copies of tliis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,v Washington, D. G."

